John s



(No Model.)

J. S. HEAT-ON.

OAR GOUPLING.

No. 529,443. Patented Nov. 20, 1894.

JfoZwz/Aifie wm Urvrrnn STATES PATENT Orrrcn.

JOHN S. HEATON, OF SI-IELBYVILLE, KENTUCKY,ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO \VILLIAM A. MOGRATH AND MOSES L. S. BUOKENER, OF SAME PLACE.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 529,443, dated November 20, 1894.

Application filed February 16, 1894- Serial No. 500,375. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN S. HEATON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Shelbyville, in the county of Shelby and State of Kentucky, have invented a new and useful Car -Coupling, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in car couplings.

to The object of the present invention is to simplify and improve the construction of car couplings, to increase their efficiency, and to provide one capable of automatic coupling and adapted to be readily uncoupled and set preparatory to coupling from the top and side of a car without going between cars.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings-Figure 1 is a perspective view of a car coupling constructed in accordance with the invention as shown and applied to a car. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view. Fig. at is a detail perspective view of the pinsupporting and link-holding plates. Fig. 5 is a detail View showing the tapering bifurca- 20 tion of the rock-shaft arm.

Like numerals of reference indicate like parts in all the figures of the drawings.

1 designates a draw-head having a vertical coupling pin perforation 2, and provided at 5 its top portion above the upper wallof a longitudinal link opening 3, with a horizontal groove or way 4, in which reciprocates a pinsupporting plate 5. The horizontal way 4 intersects the coupling-pin perforation; and the 4.0 pin-supporting plate is adapted to projectinward over the coupling-pin perforation sufficiently to hold a coupling-pin 6 elevated preparatory for. automatic coupling. The front end of the pin-supporting plate is provided 5 with a transverse eye 7, in which is arranged a pintle loop 8, secured to the top of a depending rearwardly-inolined plate 9, and forming a hinged connection between the latter and the pin-supporting plate, whereby, when the plate 9 is forced rearward or inward by a link 10 entering the draw-head, the coupling-pin 6 will be caused to fall to couple with the link 10. The rearwardly or inwardly inclined plate 9 is provided with a central opening 11, through which passes a coupling-pin. It is pivoted or hingedly mounted in the drawhead by a transverse pin 12, and the latter, together with the pintle loop 8, is located in a recess 13 in the upper wall or top of the draw-head to protect those parts from injury. 6c The lower end of the plate 9 is adapted to rest upon the inner end of alink to hold the latter against sagging to direct it into the mouth of another draw-head.

The coupling-pin is elevated preparatory to automatic coupling and for uncoupling by a rock shaft 14 journaled transversely on a car 15, and extending to the sides thereof and terminating in handles, and it is provided with a slotted or bifurcated arm 16, which receives the coupling-pin 6 in its outer bifurcated end 17. The arm 16 is connected with the top of the car by a lifting rod 18. The opening or bifurcation of the arm 16 tapers toward its inner end, whereby, when the arm is swung upward, the coupling-pin will be clamped sufliciently by the converging sides of the opening slot or bifurcation to prevent the pin from being accidentally thrown out of the opening of the arm by anysudden jar or movement of the car, or the uncoupling mechanism. The coupling-pin may be held elevated and remain uncoupled when desired by swinging the arm 16 upwardly sufficiently to carry a cam 19 into engagement with the car. This cam, by binding against the adjacent portion of the car, prevents the couplingpin from descending; but the arm 16 may be readily forced downward by the rock-shaft orthe lifting rod.

It will be seen that the car coupling is simple and comparatively inexpensive in construction; that it is capable of automatic coupling, and that it may be readily uncoupled and set for automatic coupling with- 5 out going between cars.

Changes in the form,proportion and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim is-- 1. In a car coupling, the combination of a draw-head having a coupling-pin perforation andprovided with a horizontal way intersecting the coupling-pin perforation and having arecess at the outer terminus of the way a pin-supporting plate arranged in said way, and adapted to project into the coupling-pin perforation to hold a coupling-pin elevated, and a swinging plate hingedly mounted in the draw-head and provided at its top with an upward extending pintle loop arranged in said recess and hingedly connected with the pin supporting plate, substantially as described.

2. In a car coupling, the combination with a draw-head and a coupling-pin, of a rockshaft designed to be mounted on a car and provided with an outward extending arm having itsouter end bifurcated, said bifurcation tapering toward its inner-end, whereby the coupling-pin is clamped, substantially as described.

In a car coupling, the combination of a car, a draw-head and a coupling-pin, of a rockshaft arranged transversely of the car and journaled thereon,and provided with an outward extending arm connected with the coupling-pin, and an eccentric mounted on the rock-shaft and arranged to engage frictionally and to bind the car, whereby the coupling pin is held elevated, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing'as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN S. HEATON. 

